Approximately 6-7 years ago I attended a seminar on “Gut Health”. Ever since then I have been a big advocate of the importance of gut health and the overall wellbeing. In health circles there isn’t a more important quote than; “you are what you eat”!
What I am happy to see is the amount of press the results of the relevant studies have received. Just last week a documentary appeared on SBS, The Diet Myth.
With the main aim of the documentary to explain obesity and how the new theories of gut health, relate.
As it turns out, the amount of microbes (bacteria) that live in the gut has a massive effect on your ability to lose weight and why the theory of “eat less do more”, does not work!
But before you “non activity lovers” get too excited. Exercise, is a very important aspect of a healthy body and mind. The human body is supposed to move. Our evolution has not caught up with our lifestyles yet and don’t expect it to any time soon.
Now, back to the track…
The main points of the documentary that relates to human health are:
· The more gut microbes you have, the leaner you are.
· If you still can’t lose weight even though you are doing all the right things. The reason is you don’t have enough have a board enough variety of gut microbes.
· One reason for this is an over use of antibiotics. Use of antibiotics can cause havoc on the gut microbes which can take up to a year to sort themselves out after their use. Use of antibiotics in children increases their chance of becoming obese.
· Poor diets, if you mostly consume sugar and saturated fat. Your gut microbe diversity becomes limited, at best.
· Your diet has to be: clean, unprocessed and diverse.
· Think of your gut microbes like a complete ecosystem. If you pollute an ecosystem what happens?! Species die!
· Serotonin, our “happy chemicals” are produced in the brain by our gut microbes. If they are unhealthy it can make you depressed and anti-depressants will not work.
In conclusion, as you can see from the few examples I have given. Your gut is you!
If you require more advice on this subject. Book in for a consultation at quayhealth.com.au
Darren Geer / Acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine Expert
